What is PCI Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry​?

Editorial policy​

Scope​​​

PCI Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry has an interdisciplinary scope that covers the interfaces of environmental chemistry, ecology, and environmental toxicology. It includes papers describing original work (observational, experimental, modeling, or theoretical studies) that significantly advance understanding in the field of ecotoxicology, either aquatic or terrestrial. PCI Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry also covers the fate and transport of chemicals in the environment, their transfer to living organisms and within food webs, and their effects at various biological levels (sub-individual to communities and landscapes). PCI Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry accepts papers describing the effects of physical stressors (light, noise, temperature, etc.) on organisms.

The preprint must not be published or under consideration for evaluation elsewhere at the time of its submission to PCI Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry. 

​PCI Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry recommends only preprints of high scientific quality that are methodologically and ethically sound. To this end, PCI Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry: 

• Requires data, computer codes and mathematical and statistical analysis scripts to be made available to reviewers and recommenders at the time of submission and to readers after recommendation. 
• Welcomes reproductions of studies. 
• Welcomes preprint submissions based on preregistrations (whether or not reviewed).
• Welcomes preprints reporting negative results, provided that the questions addressed and the methodology are sound. 
• Does not accept submissions of preprints presenting financial conflicts of interest. Other conflicts of interest must be minimal and declared. 
• Ensures that, as far as possible, the recommenders and referees have no conflict of interest with the content or authors of the study being evaluated. 

PCI Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry does not guarantee the evaluation or recommendation of all submitted preprints. Only preprints considered interesting by at least one competent recommender (equivalent to an associate editor in a classical journal) will be peer-reviewed. The interest of the preprint, as determined by the recommender, can relate to its context, the scientific question addressed, the methodology, or the results. PCI Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry has a large number of recommenders, ensuring a considerable diversity of interests. The recommendations published by PCI Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry are designed to draw the attention of the research community to the qualities of the article, including the subjective reasons for the recommender’s interest in it.​

Ethics​

Peer Community In is a member of and subscribes to the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). In addition:

• Financial conflicts of interest are forbidden, see the PCI code of conduct.
• Authors should declare any potential non-financial conflict of interest.

Complaints and Integrity Policy and Procedure

Complaints and Integrity policy and​ procedure are described in the versioned document found at https://osf.io/erc6x. The version applicable to a complaint is the latest version of the document at the date of the complaint.